Red grape variety
Trincadeira
An Alentejo variety giving spicy, herbal reds, prone to rot in damp conditions.
What is Trincadeira?
Trincadeira thrives in the hot, dry Alentejo but rots readily in wetter years, which restricts where it can be grown reliably.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 15685 under the prime name TRINCADEIRA, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin portugal. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Trincadeira, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | medium | Some variation | |
| Spice | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Consistent | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
If you like Trincadeira, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Alentejo red
Both are made from trincadeira, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and riper and less green.
Nero di Troia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and more savoury.
Castelão
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less spicy, and riper and less green.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Trousseau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and more savoury.
Rondo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less spicy, and sweeter.
Fer Servadou
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less spicy, and fresher.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Trousseau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and lighter.
Fer Servadou
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less spicy, and lighter.
Rondo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less spicy, and lighter.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Super Tuscan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Alicante Bouschet
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less spicy, and more oaky.
Bolgheri
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Roast chicken
Works because a substantial dish needs a wine of matching weight.
Pork
Works because a substantial dish needs a wine of matching weight.
Asparagus
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
Mushroom pasta
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Mexican food
High alcohol will make the dish taste noticeably hotter.
Tuna
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Bacalhau
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
How to serve it
Temperature
15–17°C
59–63°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
Optional — it will not hurt, and may help a little
Dense, full-bodied wines tend to open up and show more aroma after time in a decanter.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Aromatic and capable of real quality in the Alentejo, but thin-skinned and prone to rot, so it is picked and made for freshness more often than not. Careful low-yield examples in a Reserva blend hold well.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof
- Wines of Portugal — regions and varieties — ViniPortugal